Eric Clapton

Do the songs "I Shot the Sheriff," "Cocaine," "Layla," "My Father's Eyes," and "Tears in Heaven" ring a bell? How about the bands Cream and The Yardbirds? Doesn't click? Well, we suggest you move out of your shelter and update your 1950s crew cut hairdo. In any case, you'll get the chance to get to know him, as he released a new album in 2005 called Back Home.

Appeal

Clapton is a rock 'n' roll icon, a superstar, and like the graffiti they used to write in the late '60s in London, he is a "god." Though he has lost some of his "sex symbol" status with age, women always seem to have a soft spot for a man with a guitar, especially a successful, award-winning living legend. Just ask Sheryl Crow who her "favorite mistake" is.

Success

He has already been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame three times (twice for his work with The Yardbirds and Cream, and once as a solo artist), and has been a winner of 15 Grammys since 1972 (including six in 1992). To even list all his accomplishments would be futile -- just read his biography.

Eric Clapton Biography

Eric Patrick Clapp was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, on March 30, 1945. Raised by his grandparents after his mother left young Eric under their care (he was born out of wedlock), Clapton believed his grandparents were his parents until he learned the truth at the age of 9.

Already passionate about R&B and blues, Clapton was forever influenced by music after seeing Jerry Lee Lewis perform on television. He attended the Kingston College of Art, but was expelled for playing the guitar in class. Fate took its course, and turned a would-be artist into a future musician. Clapton, then 17, began working in manual labor while playing the electric guitar (his grandparents bought one for him).

eric clapton joins the yardbirds

Clapton imitated the great blues' guitarists, and was on his way to becoming a guitar legend himself after he joined the Roosters, a local R&B group. After a short eight months with the band, Clapton left with one of his bandmates, Tom McGuinness, to join Casey Jones and the Engineers. Then, in 1963, Clapton was recruited by The Yardbirds to replace their guitarist, Tony Topham.

Earning the nickname "Slowhand" to describe his fascinating guitar-playing skills, Clapton rose to fame as a member of the group, which went on to include guitar greats like Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. The success of the band's first two albums, Five Live Yardbirds and For Your Love, was not enough to keep Clapton -- he flew from the yardbird coop in 1965 because he felt they were straying more toward commercial pop, rather than their bluesy roots.

eric clapton and cream

Clapton then continued his rounds as a member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and it didn't take long before he became the power behind the group -- his fans yelling, "Clapton is God" can attest to the fact. But it was in 1966 that Clapton finally formed his own group, Cream, which became one of the greatest bands of the '60s, if not music history. After the success of albums such as Fresh Cream and Wheels of Fire, the trio finally saw its end in 1968 thanks to hotheaded egos and some drug dabbling.

eric clapton forms blind faith

Then in 1969 -- the same year the Goodbye album was released -- Clapton formed the "supergroup" Blind Faith, along with Rick Grech and Steve Winwood. The band was a huge success, which eventually led to its demise as the members parted ways after several months. In the meantime, Clapton released a debut solo album that was a disappointment, but bounced back with the album's collaborators -- Carl Radle, Bobby Whitlock and Jim Gordon -- to form Derek and The Dominos.

The Dominos released the successful Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, which, of course, featured the title track, Layla, based on Clapton's infatuation with Patty Harrison, the wife of friend and Beatle, George Harrison. And yet another one of Clapton's bands bit the dust after only one album. At this point, the emotionally and professionally distraught guitarist was in the midst of a heroin addiction. His addiction led him to the state of even pawning his guitars in order to maintain his bad habit.

clapton releases i shot the sheriff

Finally, The Who's Pete Townshend encouraged Clapton to get rid of the addiction, and after a two-year hiatus on Clapton's part, Townshend organized the Eric Clapton At the Rainbow concert in support of his friend. This led to Clapton's heroin rehabilitation, which even involved an electro-acupuncture procedure. Clapton was back with an appearance in the film adaptation of Townshend's Tommy and several albums, including 461 Ocean Boulevard, There's One In Every Crowd and E.C. Was Here, spawning the hit singles, "I Shot the Sheriff" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."

He even succeeded to bounce back and win over a new slew of fans, with the help of the albums Slowhand and Backless, and the singles "Cocaine" and "Wonderful Tonight." And although the '70s were proving to be more positive for Clapton -- he even won the heart of Pattie Harrison and married her in 1979 -- he jumped back onto the addiction bandwagon, only this time with alcohol.

Clapton released Just One Night in 1980, which was a throwback to the guitar-playing skills that the god was once loved for (his devoted fans were disappointed by his efforts in the '70s, which featured more emphasis on vocals rather than guitar-playing). In 1981, his drinking habits led him to be hospitalized for a time, but again he bounced back with a string of successful albums in the 1980s, including 1983's Money and Cigarettes, 1985's Behind the Sun, 1986's August, and 1989's Journeyman.

eric clapton releases crossroads

Throughout his professional and personal highs and lows, the 1988 release of Crossroads made it clear that Clapton had reached the pinnacle of success; the four-CD compilation was named Best Historical Album.

eric clapton loses his son

Although the '90s were marked with its highs -- 24 nights of shows at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1991 and a Live Aid appearance -- they were also marred with tragic lows. In late 1990, guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan and road crew members of Clapton's, Colin Smythe and Nigel Browne, were killed in a helicopter crash, and his son Conor (who he shared with Lori Del Santo; Clapton and Patti had divorced in 1988) fell to his death from the 53rd floor of a high-rise Manhattan apartment in 1991.

In 1992, Clapton won a Grammy for the song, "Tears in Heaven," the musician's tribute to his late son. The multi-Grammy-winning live album, Unplugged, went on to sell 10 million copies by 1996, making it one of Clapton's most successful albums. Then in 1994, Clapton returned to his electric blues roots with the album, From the Cradle, and followed it up with 1998's Pilgrim.

Already having collaborated with greats such as Phil Collins, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, and Aretha Franklin, Clapton recorded with contemporary musician Babyface for the soundtrack to the film, Phenomenon. The song, "Change The World," earned Grammys for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1996.

eric clapton is back home

Already inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his work with The Yardbirds and Cream, Clapton doesn't stop giving fans what they want: he released Chronicles in 1999, and Riding With The King in 2000. A year later, Reptile hit the music scene, which won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, in 2001.

After 2004's Me and Mr. Johnson and Sessions For Robert J. (a CD and DVD compilation), Clapton returned with Back Home, Clapton's first album of original material in several years.